From Pain To Hope
by Saria118
Summary: On the way home Courtney offers to be the Drama Brothers manager, and Trent wonders why could it be because of a certain jerk-face. At any rate he gets more than he asked for as his simple question turns into a heart to heart.  T for some swears


First of coarse I OWN NOTHING OF THE TOTAL DRAMA SERIES

This may be a little long and all over the place but I had this idea for a long time so I just had to do it.

I am a major DxC but I always felt TxC was kinda cute however I NEVER felt that way about GxD so go figure...

Anyway please enjoy and tell me what you think, I have a part two to this in my head but I'm unsure if I should do it.

After the incident in Hawaii the Total Drama gang had to swim to another Hawaiian island in order to get on a plane to go back home. Thankfully the producers had enough money left to book a private plane for them to at least get back to Canada. It was modestly sized and decorated, having enough space and bathrooms so that certain people didn't need to be near each other, like Heather and Leshawna or Justin and Noah or in this case Courtney and Gwen/Duncan.

Courtney sat near the front exit of the plane she did not want to wait to get out or have to deal with seeing Gwen and Duncan the two people who now where at the top of her "If I ever find a Hit man" list. But no matter how far away she was which was the furthest she could possibly be as they were in the last row, _Phht typical _Courtney thought as she could hear them laughing over what must have been some snide remake Gwen made. She could practically feel her anger and frustration building up but there was nothing she could do other than idly play with her PDA. There she was on her 50th level of Tetris as she had already updated her schedules and had made adjustments to all her lists, because unfortunately the plane did not have Wifi or cell reception so she couldn't talk to her lawyers or her parents. Looking at her PDA and she saw that her batteries were almost dead she had to shut it down before it died. With a huff she put her device back in her bag and angrily stared out the window "_GREAT this is just GREAT! NOW what am I suppose to do!" _she thought to herself. She could still her them and without her PDA to distract her Courtney put all her rage into her finger tips and gripped the arm rests for dear life, her eyes narrowed. Courtney knew she either had to find someone talk to, which wasn't an easy task, or rip the armrests off her chair, a far easier task but a not as long lasting fix. Then she heard something that brought her out of her thoughts.

"Come on guys after the songs we did this season I'm sure we've got tons of fans who are dieing to here the Drama Brothers perform again." This had come from Trent he was sitting with his fellow bands mates not that far from the fuming Courtney. This was also done purposely by Trent as he sat first although he had "made nice" with Gwen he was still upset with everything and he never much cared for Duncan. His band mates didn't object to the seating but had some doubts about what he was saying now. Cody spoke up fist, "I don't know Trent I mean after what happened last time….do you really think we can be a band without fighting again. Last time we were really at each others throats." It was true they nearly got into a brawl when they couldn't agree on what to do with their next song. Harold spoke next "Cody's right man I mean we were able to sing fine here cause we didn't have anything to lose but gosh what'll happen if we get back on stage again?" Justin who had been all for it before was now rethinking it, "They have a point Trent, I want the band to get back together as much as you but were just to different." Trent looked down dejected he really missed hanging and jamming with these guys when they broke up, he really thought they could make it this time, he sighed. "What you guys need is a fifth impartial party and a good manager." Trent head snapped up to the mystery voice.

Courtney was looking at them with a smug and knowing look on her face. " The fact that your different is precisely why you were so popular when you first came out, not to mention the face time you had on Total Drama." The group all collectedly started at her then each other all wondering the same thing _"why does it sound like she wants to help us?" _Trent decided to speak, "So if you think are group is fine but needs a good manager who would you recommend?" He already had a good idea of what she was going to say but the fact that she was offering to be there manager was something none of them could believe. She smiled, "Why me of coarse. It's obvious that your last manager was just there to set you up with concert times and nothing else. He probably didn't care enough to make sure the group dynamic was fine, made sure they published you in the proper light, your schedules for practice and such was defiantly not in order as you usually showed up late to your own concerts, he obviously didn't listen to the music to hear if it was consistent with your sound or get involved in group arguments. In fact if I were to guess I'd say you signed a contract in the heat of the moment with some half-assed manager in a rundown studio because he was the cheapest." They couldn't believe it Courtney had known exactly how they had gotten their terrible manger that did not believe they were going to succeed and then they were stuck with him because they neglected to read the fine print. Courtney smirk, their faces said it all, "So I guess you guys lost the loser after you broke up right?" They nodded, she smiled and said in the sweetest and most convincing way she could, "So how about you guys give me a try? I'm organized, assertive, decisive, and I never back down. Plus if you guys ever get into a fight I'd be able to defuse the situation with logic and statistics. If you guys take me on all I'll ask for is 5% of your profit." Sure her statement was arrogant but that was kinda what they needed plus Courtney was know for not playing favorites when it came to her decisions and her offer was very fair coming from her, but Trent could tell something wasn't quite right here.

"Courtney before we take you on as are manager there is something I gotta ask." Courtney was taken back by this they all seemed to be in agreement that she was the best choice, and by all account she was, but here he was questioning her. "Hmph. Fine what is it?" Courtney looked pissed and she was she felt insulted, Trent sighed. "It's a question I'd like to ask in private." She was confused but nodded and let him lead her through the rows to the back of the plane. Both of them picked up their pace as they passed the couple that had caused them both so much pain and were more than relieved when they passed by to see them too invested in a music player to notice them. The Pair ended up in the cargo hole with the luggage, Trent plopped himself down on a wooden crate and motioned for Courtney to do the same on the one next to him.

"So," she said sitting down gracefully, "what did you need to ask me that you couldn't in front of those guys?" She sat upright and glared as though he was wasting her time, she didn't want to admit it but she was glad to get out of the cabin. Trent looked at her and sighed maybe this wasn't the best idea but he just had to know. In all honesty though he didn't know how to ask his question and her death glare was not helping. "Is your reason for wanting to be our band manger to get over the whole Duncan thing?" There he finally spit it out and Courtney couldn't be more shocked. She sat numb her face devoid of any emotion staring down at her shaking hands, she couldn't believe it she was trembling fighting back those cursed tears, again! With her hair blocking the view of her face Trent was sure she was angry and that she was going to throw a fit, this was what he was hoping to avoid but he had a feeling that no matter how nicely he put it she'd cause a scene, the reason for going to the back. Now Trent was scared, no people first meant no big drama fest but now it meant no witnesses. He gulped unsure of what to do. "Look Courtney I was just curious you know I…. mean I just thought…. uh…. see when me and Gw…that is…" _'CRAP! She looks even angrier' _" I'm sorry I was being stupid of coarse you wouldn't.." Trent stop he could have sworn he heard crying, and his heart went out to her.

Trent had always been open with his emotions if he felt like crying he'd cry maybe not in front of everyone but he'd learned at young age that crying didn't make you any less of a man, but from what he could tell from his re-watching of the Total Drama series and the little interaction he'd had with her, Courtney wasn't as comfortable doing that. He would bet his favorite guitar that when she cried this season it was the first time she'd done it in years and now he'd gone and made her remember the very thing that caused her to bring out her pain again after she had pushed it back, slowly he place his hand on her shoulder.

Courtney couldn't believe it here she was crying, again. How she hated it. She always hated crying she always saw it as a weakness. But here she was crying in front of Trent, well at least it wasn't Heather again, but _"Ugh I thought I was over this, over…over..him.."_ Courtney jerked both out of her thoughts and her hands when she felt a firm gentle one touch her shoulder, tears still sliding down her cheeks she saw Trent's saddened face. "Hey I'm sorry you know for bringing it up," his voice was filled with compassion and understanding that Courtney was not use to, he looked down. "I know how you feel, you love someone so much that you'd do anything for them and you think that they feel the same. Then you do something that upsets them and they just…go and break your heart like nothing you went through mattered." She was surprised, yes Courtney was surprised he was right that was how she felt, Trent looked back up a meek smile and just the smallest amount of tears in his eyes so that Courtney could tell he was still hurting too. "But you know what really sucks more than the first heart break session it's the second," he said with morbid laugh. Courtney just gave him a look unsure of what could be worse; he gave a weak smile and continued.

"It's when you find someone else someone you think you love that you think is better than them. Then you break up for some stupid reason and when you're alone and you start to think and you realize that you don't care. In fact you start to compare them to the person you really loved the one who broke you and no matter how hard you try or how much you don't want to you end up crying at the memories." Trent had no idea if that was how Courtney felt but that's what happened to him. After TDA he had started dating a girl named Stacy she was nice and perky basically the opposite of Gwen, it started out fine but then he heard her bragging to her friends about their relationship so he broke it off she was more angry than sad by this and left in a huff. When Trent had gotten home it's wasn't thoughts of Stacy flowing through his head but Gwen and it hurt him to know that he still felt so strongly for her. He looked Courtney in the eye and said, "That person was your re-bound person and no matter how different they were form them it still makes you think of the one you really loved."

She couldn't believe it he was right again! That was exactly how she felt about Alejandro he seemed so different form Duncan and when he was there she forgot the pain and when she learned the truth she was pissed. But strangely not at Alejandro, who obviously had bad taste, but at her self for falling for his act and after that back to Duncan, how he had hurt her and how she still cared for him. Courtney could feel her anger rising she stared Trent in the eyes and said very calmly, "Just because your right doesn't make me feel better." He laughed softly, "Yeah I know, but sometimes the truth doesn't make you feel better." Courtney laughed at this, it was more of a light chuckle, but Trent couldn't help but noticed that she was cute when she smiled. The two sat there alone in silence as they let their emotions cool and they collected themselves.

"So what if I am? But only a little bit." Courtney said finally answering his question she was through with all that emotion stuff and wanted to talk business, that is what she's most comfortable with after all. It took Trent a minute to realize what she was talking about, after his little heart to heart with her he had nearly forgotten the reason they where here. As Trent sat there quietly trying to understand what she said Courtney got impatient and almost yelled, "I'm mean what's the big deal if I want to do something to take my mind off those two backstabbing Ass-Holes!" She stopped remembering Trent was there and his feelings about Gwen, "No offense." Trent chuckled lightly, "None taken. I feel that way about them sometimes too. Look my reason for asking you that was out of curiosity I didn't mean to upset or offend you really. I think you'd be a great manager you've got more guts than anyone I've ever met. It's just well I wanted to make sure that you'd really give us all you got that you wouldn't just leave when you felt better or a better opportunity came along."

Now Courtney understood he just wanted to make sure she really meant what she said that she'd really help them for the band not just make her self feel better. Courtney let out a "hmph" "_How could he possibly think I wouldn't take this seriously. Ok granted he did have a good reason to question me but still!" _She glared at him it wasn't as deadly as some of her other glares but it still made Trent squirm a little, unsure of what she was going to do to him.

"Of course I want to help you guys," She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean if I was your manager of course I'd want you to succeed and I'd do everything I could to make that happen. If my break up with….," she stopped afraid she may cry again and finally spat, "Duncan just happened to be the catalyst for my offer." She stated with her arms and legs crossed and a look that said _"that's all I'm telling you so you better not prod anymore." _And with that Trent stopped his questioning he could tell that Courtney wasn't trying to screw him and the band over so he may as well take her up on the offer while she was still willing. So he smiled and in a happy tone said, "Alright how about a 2 month trail period before we sign any contracts we gotta make sure this works out right," he let out a slight laugh and Courtney gave a small smile that he was thankful for. "So I'm gonna go tell the guys maybe you should..uh…fix yourself up a bit.." Trent gestured to his eyes and Courtney caught his meaning, the small amount of mascara she does wear must have started to run and her eyes must be a little red. Embarrassed she look away and nodded and Trent left happy with how this had gone.

_Maybe this wouldn't be so bad_


End file.
